BRCK Announces Acquisition of Kenyan ISP Surf

BRCK operating in Kenya and Rwanda — is a network of free public internet access points that allows anyone to get online | Image Courtesy : File Photo

Integrated hardware and software company BRCK has announced its latest acquisition of local ISP Surf, who is the second-largest public WiFi provider in Kenya providing low-cost internet services to up 20 towns in Kenya.

BRCK currently operating in Kenya and Rwanda is a network of free public internet access points that allows anyone to get online

Erik Hersman, BRCK CEO, said the acquisition fits with the company’s plans to expand its services in Kenya to those who do not have access to the internet.

Surf launched in Kenya in 2016 and has been providing internet to low-income communities through public hotspots. Surf partnered with Facebook and Internet Solutions in 2017 to launch the Express Wi-Fi service, a public Wi-Fi hotspot service in Kenya in 2017.

With this acquisition, the number of public hotspots for the company now stands at 2,000 across Kenya, with a reported 500,000 users a month. The combined Wi-Fi access points for BRCK will increase from the current 1,500 nodes to 2,700 nodes, making it one of the biggest public Wi-Fi zones in Sub- Saharan Africa.

“This marks an important moment in BRCK’s journey towards meeting Africa’s unique needs and expanding on the continent’s connectivity infrastructure. BRCK believes that the acquisition will go a long way towards supporting Africa’s technological evolution,” Hersman says.